Lori Loughlin, 'not seeing how serious this is,' rejects plea deal: How much prison time is she facing?

Before being hit with additional money laundering charges in connection with the college bribery case, Lori Loughlin and husband Mossimo Giannulli were offered a plea deal -- and rejected it.

Multiple outlets report that the couple, likely facing 18-24 months behind bars before the new charges, is "in worse shape than before" because of their decision not to take a deal and could now be facing upwards of 20 years in prison for each charge -- a possible total of 40 years -- if convicted.

"They weren't ready to accept" prison time, a source told People. "They're really not seeing how serious this is."

"They were offered the carrot and the stick," the insider continued. "The carrot was that this can all go away and you can serve your time and put it behind you. Remember, they were facing 20 years, even before the latest charges. The stick was that [the prosecution] would and could pile on more serious charges."

John Stamos and Lori Loughlin during Target Hosts LA Fashion Week Party for Designer Mossimo Giannulli - Inside at Area in West Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by L. Cohen/WireImage for LaForce and Stevens)

John Stamos, Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli during Target Hosts LA Fashion Week Party for Designer Mossimo Giannulli - Inside at Area in West Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by L. Cohen/WireImage for LaForce and Stevens)

Mossimo Giannulli and Lori Loughlin during Target Hosts LA Fashion Week Party for Designer Mossimo Giannulli at Area in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by L. Cohen/WireImage for LaForce and Stevens)

Lori Loughlin and Mossimo during 30th Anniversary Party for Hello Kitty Presented by SANRIO and Target - Pink Carpet at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by J. Vespa/WireImage for Sanrio, Inc)

Mossimo Giannulli & Lori Loughlin during Mossimo's New Collection Celebration at Moomba in West Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by J. P. Aussenard/WireImage)

381656 06: Designer Mossimo Giannulli with actress wife Lori Loughlin, left, and actress Valerie Bertinelli attend a party to launch the famed sportswear designer Mossimo Giannulli Collection November 9, 2000 at The Drive-In Studios in New York City. (Photo by George DeSota/Getty Images)

Lori Loughlin & Mossimo during An Evening of Song & Spirit A Benefit For Gaian Yoga For Life at Private House in Bel Air, California, United States. (Photo by SGranitz/WireImage)

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Loughlin and Giannulli allegedly paid $500,000 to get both of their daughters into the University of Southern California under the false pretenses that they were recruited for women's crew, despite the fact that they had never rowed before.

The money was reportedly funneled through admitted ringleader William Singer's nonprofit, Key Worldwide Foundation, which officials and Singer say was actually used to accept bribes from parents involved in the alleged years-long scheme to get their children into elite universities.

Reports state that all parents charged in connection with the wide-ranging scam were offered plea deals -- all of which involve likely, but reduced, prison time -- and, if not accepted quickly, they were faced with the threat of additional charges.

Loughlin and Giannulli "decided to roll the dice and it may have been a bad gamble," the People source added. They're among 16 parents who were slapped with additional charges on Tuesday.

Legal experts explained that, while the couple's actual sentences could look more like 5 years behind bars, "she's doing herself no favors by treating these court appearances like she's going to the Oscars." After signing autographs for fans upon her arrival in Boston last week, Loughlin turned heads by shaking the hands of her prosecutors and introducing herself at her first court hearing.

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 3: Actress Lori Loughlin and her husband Mossimo Giannulli, wearing green tie at left, leave the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse in Boston on April 3, 2019. Hollywood stars Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin were among 13 parents scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston Wednesday for the first time since they were charged last month in a massive college admissions cheating scandal. They were among 50 people - including coaches, powerful financiers, and entrepreneurs - charged in a brazen plot in which wealthy parents allegedly schemed to bribe sports coaches at top colleges to admit their children. Many of the parents allegedly paid to have someone else take the SAT or ACT exams for their children or correct their answers, guaranteeing them high scores. (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 3: Actress Lori Loughlin, in tan at center, leaves as her husband Mossimo Giannulli, in green tie at right, follows behind her outside the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse in Boston on April 3, 2019. Hollywood stars Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin were among 13 parents scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston Wednesday for the first time since they were charged last month in a massive college admissions cheating scandal. They were among 50 people - including coaches, powerful financiers, and entrepreneurs - charged in a brazen plot in which wealthy parents allegedly schemed to bribe sports coaches at top colleges to admit their children. Many of the parents allegedly paid to have someone else take the SAT or ACT exams for their children or correct their answers, guaranteeing them high scores. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 3: Actress Lori Loughlin, in tan at right, and her husband Mossimo Giannulli, in green tie behind her, leave the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse in Boston on April 3, 2019. Hollywood stars Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin were among 13 parents scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston Wednesday for the first time since they were charged last month in a massive college admissions cheating scandal. They were among 50 people - including coaches, powerful financiers, and entrepreneurs - charged in a brazen plot in which wealthy parents allegedly schemed to bribe sports coaches at top colleges to admit their children. Many of the parents allegedly paid to have someone else take the SAT or ACT exams for their children or correct their answers, guaranteeing them high scores. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 3: Actress Felicity Huffman, center, leaves the John Joseph Moakley United States Courthouse in Boston on April 3, 2019. Hollywood stars Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin were among 13 parents scheduled to appear in federal court in Boston Wednesday for the first time since they were charged last month in a massive college admissions cheating scandal. They were among 50 people - including coaches, powerful financiers, and entrepreneurs - charged in a brazen plot in which wealthy parents allegedly schemed to bribe sports coaches at top colleges to admit their children. Many of the parents allegedly paid to have someone else take the SAT or ACT exams for their children or correct their answers, guaranteeing them high scores. (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)

"What the court is looking for is humility," a legal expert told People.

Meanwhile, Felicity Huffman, also charged in the case, announced on Monday that she was pleading guilty in the case. Sources say that she could face around four months in prison after accepting a plea deal. It's worth noting that her likely prison sentence was always estimated to be shorter, as the amount of her alleged bribe -- $15,000 -- was significantly less than the $500,000 that Loughlin and Giannulli are accused of paying.

"I am in full acceptance of my guilt, and with deep regret and shame over what I have done, I accept full responsibility for my actions and will accept the consequences that stem from those actions," Huffman said in a statement.

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TOPSHOT - Actress Felicity Huffman is seen inside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Los Angeles, on March 12, 2019. - Two Hollywood actresses including Oscar-nominated 'Desperate Housewives' star Felicity Huffman are among 50 people indicted in a nationwide university admissions scam, court records unsealed in Boston on March 12, 2019 showed. The accused, who also include chief executives, allegedly cheated to get their children into elite schools, including Yale, Stanford, Georgetown and the University of Southern California, federal prosecutors said.Huffman, 56, and Lori Loughlin, 54, who starred in 'Full House,' are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.
A federal judge set bond at $250,000 for Felicity Huffman after she was charged in a massive college admissions cheating scandal. (Photo by DAVID MCNEW / AFP) (Photo credit should read DAVID MCNEW/AFP/Getty Images)

Actress Felicity Huffman is seen inside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Los Angeles, on March 12, 2019. - Two Hollywood actresses including Oscar-nominated 'Desperate Housewives' star Felicity Huffman are among 50 people indicted in a nationwide university admissions scam, court records unsealed in Boston on March 12, 2019 showed. The accused, who also include chief executives, allegedly cheated to get their children into elite schools, including Yale, Stanford, Georgetown and the University of Southern California, federal prosecutors said.Huffman, 56, and Lori Loughlin, 54, who starred in 'Full House,' are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.
A federal judge set bond at $250,000 for Felicity Huffman after she was charged in a massive college admissions cheating scandal. (Photo by DAVID MCNEW / AFP) (Photo credit should read DAVID MCNEW/AFP/Getty Images)

Actress Felicity Huffman is seen inside the Edward R. Roybal Federal Building and U.S. Courthouse in Los Angeles, on March 12, 2019. - Two Hollywood actresses including Oscar-nominated 'Desperate Housewives' star Felicity Huffman are among 50 people indicted in a nationwide university admissions scam, court records unsealed in Boston on March 12, 2019 showed. The accused, who also include chief executives, allegedly cheated to get their children into elite schools, including Yale, Stanford, Georgetown and the University of Southern California, federal prosecutors said.Huffman, 56, and Lori Loughlin, 54, who starred in 'Full House,' are charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.
A federal judge set bond at $250,000 for Felicity Huffman after she was charged in a massive college admissions cheating scandal. (Photo by DAVID MCNEW / AFP) (Photo credit should read DAVID MCNEW/AFP/Getty Images)